Speakers
Tarek Mitri
Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon
Former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General; President, Saint George University of Beirut; Member of the Board of Directors, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (Doha)
Rola El-Husseini
Associate Professor, Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University
Sami Halabi
Director of Policy, Badil | The Alternative Policy Institute
Raya Jalabi
Middle East Correspondent, Financial Times
Nasser Yassin
Director, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Beirut; Former Lebanese Minister of Environment
Moderator
About the Webinar
Ceasefire in Lebanon: Between Negotiation and Reality
Unpacking the Questions of Sovereignty, Deterrence, and Recovery
The fragile ceasefire in Lebanon continues to be strained by repeated Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and retaliatory fire from Hezbollah. Amid rising casualties and displacement, the US-mediated 10‑day truce was extended for three weeks following high‑level meetings in Washington. Negotiations have progressed through rare direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors, focusing on prolonging the ceasefire and laying the groundwork for broader agreements on security, border management, and reconstruction. Diplomatic activity also remains active, with reports of upcoming state‑level engagements in Washington, while discussions about Hezbollah’s weapons and the long‑term stability of the border continue to shape the diplomatic agenda.
Lebanon’s post-ceasefire moment presents a narrow but critical window for political and diplomatic action. As negotiations involving the Trump administration, regional actors, and the Lebanese government unfold, fundamental questions remain unresolved: What does meaningful sovereignty look like given the current balance of power? What are the realistic limits of external pressure on Lebanon’s internal dynamics? And how can security, deterrence, and economic recovery be understood not as separate tracks, but as deeply interlinked imperatives? To address these important issues, Arab Center Washington DC (ACW) and Badil | The Alternative Policy Institute are convening leading voices in Lebanese political economy, security analysis, and regional diplomacy to move beyond sensationalism and toward a realist, evidence-based conversation about Lebanon’s prospects.
Featured image credit: Middle East Images via AFP
